Who would live in a chimney like this?

"We are all intrigued to see who will buy this imposing structure."

A 42m-tall chimney stack in Derbyshire is set to go under the hammer and has attracted "significant interest", auctioneers say.

The brick chimney in Milford, near Belper, sits on the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and is described by SDL Auctions as a "fascinating piece of heritage".

With a guide price of £5,000, the Grade II listed property could be converted into a "quirky" home, subject to planning permission, they suggest, or used to house advertising or communications infrastructure.

The chimney will be sold by online auction on 30 January.

The "unique" structure off the A6 forms part of some of the world's first mechanised industrial cotton factories along the River Derwent.

The industrial village was built between 1780 and 1850 by the Strutt family to house workers for their water-powered textile mills.

The chimney for sale has a diameter of 4m and was built in 1901 to replace an earlier structure.

Andrew Parker, auctioneer and SDL partner, said the chimney was in "good condition" and was up for sale as surrounding mill buildings had been redeveloped.

He said: "Our team have had years of experience of selling unusual lots, from nuclear bunkers to Welsh reservoirs, but this has to be one of the most extraordinary properties we have ever auctioned.

"It has already attracted significant interest from industrial history enthusiasts keen to own their own fascinating piece of heritage.

"I think we are all intrigued to see who will buy this imposing structure – and what they will do with it."

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